A potential trade of Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson just got easier.
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that Jackson will only miss four games at the start of the 2010 season, should he get traded anytime soon. (Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune also has the news.) Jackson remains suspended three games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Jackson was also set to miss an additional three games after he reported to a team because he was placed on the Chargers roster exempt list. But the NFL and NFLPA met Thursday and came up a compromise for Jackson’s missed time should be traded.
If Jackson signed with the Chargers, he would still have to miss an additional three games. (Six total.) That makes the small chance he’d return to San Diego look even slimmer. Jackson seems likely to get traded or simply sit the year out.
The Vikings appear to be Jackson’s most likely suitor, although the Rams have been linked to him previously as well.